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For some users of location based and T&S services, the loss or corruption of a satellite signal can have critical consequences. For sensitive applications that require a high level of service continuity, Public Regulated Services (PRS) may represent the answer.

In 2014, there were an estimated 3.6 billion GNSS devices globally. This number is forecasted to increase to 7 billion by 2019. Smartphones are by far the most popular platform to access location-based services (LBS), with about 2 billion smartphone users anticipated by 2016. Most of these users are the general public, who agree to trade their privacy and data ownership for the convenience and functionality of “always on” location services – regardless of the risk of a maliciously corrupted GNSS signal.

But for some users - including governments, the police, military, fire-fighters, paramedics, and even financial institutions - loss or corruption of the GNSS signal can have immediate and critical consequences.

This is why the Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) has been designed to provide a robust and secure signal that continues to be available to authorised users when access to other navigation services is lost or corrupted.

“It is clearly an advantage to have a GNSS signal that is robust when managing a crisis,” says Jorge Andreau Garcia of the Directorate of Space Defence at GMV, a technology group. “The PRS signal continues to be available even when other forms of communication are failing.”

Key to PRS is the use of a dual band signal (Galileo’s E1 and E6 signals), with high bandwidth, which makes it much more resistant to interference.  Access to PRS, which is decided by individual Member States, is controlled through encryption of the signals and restricting access through key management systems. Users who have not been granted access to the secure features of the PRS signal will not be able to determine any information from it. Galileo PRS therefore offers the robustness of a military GNSS signal with the potential of civilian-controlled GNSS.

Garcia also notes that another advantage is that the PRS signal is authenticated, so you can rely on what you’re getting in your receiver.

With a potential 3 million civilian service personnel in Europe, the potential market for PRS is substantial. One of the main challenges now is to develop low-cost handheld receivers capable of using the PRS signal. As the signal is comparable to the GPS signal, manufacturers are already designing devices that use Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) networks like TETRA and TETRAPOL, integrating the navigational algorithms and position information of both the PRS and GPS systems.

Critical Communications World

Some of the potential end users of PRS, as well as manufacturers of current critical communications receivers and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), gathered at the 17th annual Critical Communications World congress (CCW 2015) in Barcelona (Spain) at the end of May.

A whole range of hardware was on display during the event, everything from pocket-sized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that can enter dangerous buildings ahead of fire-fighters or soldiers to increase their situation awareness, to handheld radio receivers with robust satellite positioning that can operate in hostile, dangerous and noisy environments. 

Less obviously dangerous, but equally critical security applications for PRS and T&S services are in the finance and banking sector, where accurate timing of transactions is fundamental, as well as for the security and management of transport infrastructure, including the control of traffic flow in cities and rail networks.

Initial operational capability for Galileo with initial services is set to come on stream in 2016.

Download the Galileo PRS flyer.

More Information

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

For some users of location based and T&S services, the loss or corruption of a satellite signal can have critical consequences. For sensitive applications that require a high level of service continuity, Public Regulated Services (PRS) may represent the answer.

In 2014, there were an estimated 3.6 billion GNSS devices globally. This number is forecasted to increase to 7 billion by 2019. Smartphones are by far the most popular platform to access location-based services (LBS), with about 2 billion smartphone users anticipated by 2016. Most of these users are the general public, who agree to trade their privacy and data ownership for the convenience and functionality of “always on” location services – regardless of the risk of a maliciously corrupted GNSS signal.

But for some users - including governments, the police, military, fire-fighters, paramedics, and even financial institutions - loss or corruption of the GNSS signal can have immediate and critical consequences.

This is why the Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) has been designed to provide a robust and secure signal that continues to be available to authorised users when access to other navigation services is lost or corrupted.

“It is clearly an advantage to have a GNSS signal that is robust when managing a crisis,” says Jorge Andreau Garcia of the Directorate of Space Defence at GMV, a technology group. “The PRS signal continues to be available even when other forms of communication are failing.”

Key to PRS is the use of a dual band signal (Galileo’s E1 and E6 signals), with high bandwidth, which makes it much more resistant to interference.  Access to PRS, which is decided by individual Member States, is controlled through encryption of the signals and restricting access through key management systems. Users who have not been granted access to the secure features of the PRS signal will not be able to determine any information from it. Galileo PRS therefore offers the robustness of a military GNSS signal with the potential of civilian-controlled GNSS.

Garcia also notes that another advantage is that the PRS signal is authenticated, so you can rely on what you’re getting in your receiver.

With a potential 3 million civilian service personnel in Europe, the potential market for PRS is substantial. One of the main challenges now is to develop low-cost handheld receivers capable of using the PRS signal. As the signal is comparable to the GPS signal, manufacturers are already designing devices that use Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) networks like TETRA and TETRAPOL, integrating the navigational algorithms and position information of both the PRS and GPS systems.

Critical Communications World

Some of the potential end users of PRS, as well as manufacturers of current critical communications receivers and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), gathered at the 17th annual Critical Communications World congress (CCW 2015) in Barcelona (Spain) at the end of May.

A whole range of hardware was on display during the event, everything from pocket-sized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that can enter dangerous buildings ahead of fire-fighters or soldiers to increase their situation awareness, to handheld radio receivers with robust satellite positioning that can operate in hostile, dangerous and noisy environments. 

Less obviously dangerous, but equally critical security applications for PRS and T&S services are in the finance and banking sector, where accurate timing of transactions is fundamental, as well as for the security and management of transport infrastructure, including the control of traffic flow in cities and rail networks.

Initial operational capability for Galileo with initial services is set to come on stream in 2016.

More Information

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Through the Horizon 2020 project - Building European Links towards Southeast Asia (BELS) -  the GSA is helping to facilitate the introduction of E-GNSS into Southeast Asia (SEA).

    See Also: European GNSS – Now there’s an App for That!

Operating between 2015 and 2018, BELS brings together 12 European, Asian and Australia partners, including European companies with a presence in the region, as well as leading universities. The project is based at NAVIS, a technology centre located in Hanoi, Vietnam.
BELS concentrates on three areas:

1. Opening new markets to EU companies
2. Increasing awareness of E-GNSS technology through workshops
3. Increasing the technical expertise of people in the region

Southeast Asia already enjoys a large population of people (more than 600 million) and many technically skilled experts in satellite technology. The GSA is working to attract more young researchers into E-GNSS technology and expanding the reach of the GSA in Southeast Asia. As part of this effort, the Agency is collaborating with leading universities in the region and facilitating the mobility of PhD students.

To launch the collaboration, the project recently held a workshop in Vietnam that brought together leading European E-GNSS experts and their Vietnamese counterparts. Both parties stressed the need for innovation in satellite navigation as being the key to greater adoption of the technology.

Vietnamese delegation, gathering Prof. Mai Ha, Chief of Office of Vietnam Space Committee,  Prof. Ta Hai Tung, Director of the NAVIS Centre, and leaders of the project consortium met  the GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides  in Prague at the beginning of June this year. The meeting among others contributed to the high level goal of the BELS project: strengthen ties with the SEA region in the field of Global Navigation Satellite System.

More Information

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Through the Horizon 2020 funded Building European Links towards Southeast Asia (BELS) project, the GSA is helping to facilitate the introduction of E-GNSS into Southeast Asia (SEA).

    See Also: European GNSS – Now there’s an App for That!

Operating between 2015 and 2018, BELS brings together 12 European, Asian and Australia partners, including European companies with a presence in the region, as well as leading universities. The project is based at NAVIS, a technology centre located in Hanoi, Vietnam.
BELS concentrates on three areas:

1. Opening new markets to EU companies
2. Increasing awareness of E-GNSS technology through workshops
3. Increasing the technical expertise of people in the region

Southeast Asia already enjoys a large population of people (more than 600 million) and many technically skilled experts in satellite technology. The GSA is working to attract more young researchers into E-GNSS technology and expanding the reach of the GSA in Southeast Asia. As part of this effort, the Agency is collaborating with leading universities in the region and facilitating the mobility of PhD students.

To launch the collaboration, the project recently held a workshop in Vietnam that brought together leading European E-GNSS experts and their Vietnamese counterparts. Both parties stressed the need for innovation in satellite navigation as being the key to greater adoption of the technology.

Vietnamese delegation, gathering Prof. Mai Ha, Chief of Office of Vietnam Space Committee,  Prof. Ta Hai Tung, Director of the NAVIS Centre, and leaders of the project consortium met  the GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides  in Prague at the beginning of June this year. The meeting among others contributed to the high level goal of the BELS project: strengthen ties with the SEA region in the field of Global Navigation Satellite System.

More Information

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

At the Connected Cars World conference in Amsterdam, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) joined carmakers, automotive suppliers and public authorities to discuss how GNSS- and internet- enabled vehicles are making life easier for drivers, and the actions to be undertaken in the industry for a continuous integration of more accurate and robust GNSS in the coming years.

Major vehicle manufacturers are already delivering motor vehicles with connected services for drivers, such as real time traffic and weather reports, and accident and road works warnings. Coupled with embedded GNSS technologies for precise localisation, and the connected car becomes a veritable mobility management system on wheels.

Speaking at the Connected Cars World conference, GSA Deputy Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani stressed the crucial role of precise and reliable GNSS in connected vehicles: “With Galileo, we will have greater resistance to multipath interference, for example in urban canyons,” she continued. “And it will be a multi frequency service, so it will be more resistant to intentional interferences.” Finally, she explained, Galileo will also feature an authentication signal, to protect against spoofing attacks.

Research for a Single Road ‘GNSS Engine’

The GSA’s Alberto Fernandez-Wyttenbach took advantage of the first “European GNSS User Forum for Automotive Stakeholders” to announce more support for road-related satellite navigation research. Looking at the wider picture, he said, the GSA is now focusing on a number of key areas for research, including:

• Safety-critical applications, including connected cars and autonomous vehicles
• Liability and payment applications, such as road tolling and insurance apps

The GSA is making funding available for work in support of all of these areas through the EU’s Fundamental Elements Grant Plan on GNSS Receivers.

“We want OEMs to participate as well as auto suppliers and receiver makers,” said Wyttenbach. “Our objective is to see a single embedded ‘GNSS engine’ on board all vehicles, to cover all the necessary functionalities for all of the key road application areas, all in one technology package.”

Get the App: European GNSS R&D – Now there’s an App for That!

“We want to see a real prototype,” he concluded. “We want something that is near market-ready.”

Potential research participants should look for a new round of calls for proposals in July. Proposals will be evaluated quickly, with a deadline for submissions on September 30th and selections and contract negotiations to be completed before the end of the year.

The Corporate Perspective

Talking from the automotive manufacturer’s point-of-view, SEAT’s Roger Giralt talked about his company’s new ‘desktop’ for drivers. This ‘desktop’ comes with a variety of apps, such as one that can record trips, and a ‘me’ app giving direct access to social media – facebook, twitter, e-mails and the like. “With a voice-control system, you no longer have to miss messages while you’re driving,” said Giralt. “With smartphone integration, you can access Google maps to find your car in the parking lot, then get in your car, plug in your smartphone and you have all your apps and your multimedia with you.”

Giralt stressed that many of SEAT’s desktop functions are blocked while you are actually driving, thus minimising any driver distraction.

In the case of disruptive technologies such as automated and driverless cars, distraction will be just the thing former drivers are looking for. In a panel discussion on automation, Nissan Europe’s Richard Candler reminded participants of the goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities, a goal now nearer than many believed possible just a few short years ago. The fact that 90% of road accidents are the result of human error remains a strong argument in favour of further automation, Candler said.

Watch This: EGNOS for Road

Nissan is taking a step-by-step approach towards more autonomous road vehicles, starting with a ‘traffic jam pilot’, and next introducing a ‘motorway pilot’ and, by 2020, a ‘city pilot’. At each step, the vehicle will take on more of the responsibility for actually driving the car, but in a way that allows drivers to get used the concept gradually.

Jan-Maarten de Vries of TomTom contrasted the approach being taken by established manufacturers such as Nissan with the one being taken in Silicon Valley, where ‘newcomers’ such as Google are going straight to the end-goal of completely autonomous, driverless cars. “Neither approach is right or wrong,” de Vries said. “But the traditional OEMs do have the advantage of knowing their customers.”

Show Me the Data!

A new and very exciting area opened up by connected cars is the generation of new kinds of ‘big data’. With more and more such cars out there not only using services, but also sending information about where they are, how fast they are going, what they are accessing online, and more, the potential for public good and private profit is enormous.

In a joint presentation on big data, Ford’s John Ellis and Greg Krueger of the US Department of Transport said the global market for road-related data – e.g. traffic conditions, travel time and road surface conditions – is worth five to six billion USD. “That’s how much governments are spending to collect this kind of data,” Ellis said.

Indeed, the kinds of information cited by Ellis are absolutely crucial to road operators and mobility authorities as they endeavour to create a more efficient, safer and greener transport system.

Traditionally, collecting such information has meant setting up roadside infrastructure – cameras, sensors and the like. But connected cars can provide that information effortlessly, if only the data they generate can be collected and accessed. As Roger Giralt pointed out, many carmakers are still getting their heads around digital concepts, being much more used to selling machines.

Privacy issues will also come into play here. Public opinion on this sticky subject varies from country to country around Europe, let alone around the world. On the question of privacy and who owns the data generated by internet- and GNSS-connected cars, BMW’s Michael Gruffke said, “Younger people are already used to giving up information about themselves and their activities, because they know they will get something back in return.”

More Information

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Read more

At the Connected Cars World conference in Amsterdam, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) joined carmakers, automotive suppliers and public authorities to discuss how GNSS- and internet- enabled vehicles are making life easier for drivers, and the actions to be undertaken in the industry for a continuous integration of more accurate and robust GNSS in the coming years.

Major vehicle manufacturers are already delivering motor vehicles with connected services for drivers, such as real time traffic and weather reports, and accident and road works warnings. Coupled with embedded GNSS technologies for precise localisation, and the connected car becomes a veritable mobility management system on wheels.

Speaking at the Connected Cars World conference, GSA Deputy Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani stressed the crucial role of precise and reliable GNSS in connected vehicles: “With Galileo, we will have greater resistance to multipath interference, for example in urban canyons,” she continued. “And it will be a multi frequency service, so it will be more resistant to intentional interferences.” Finally, she explained, Galileo will also feature an authentication signal, to protect against spoofing attacks.

Research for a Single Road ‘GNSS Engine’

The GSA’s Alberto Fernandez-Wyttenbach took advantage of the first “European GNSS User Forum for Automotive Stakeholders” to announce more support for road-related satellite navigation research. Looking at the wider picture, he said, the GSA is now focusing on a number of key areas for research, including:

• Safety-critical applications, including connected cars and autonomous vehicles
• Liability and payment applications, such as road tolling and insurance apps

The GSA is making funding available for work in support of all of these areas through the EU’s Fundamental Elements Grant Plan on GNSS Receivers.

“We want OEMs to participate as well as auto suppliers and receiver makers,” said Wyttenbach. “Our objective is to see a single embedded ‘GNSS engine’ on board all vehicles, to cover all the necessary functionalities for all of the key road application areas, all in one technology package.”

Get the App: European GNSS R&D – Now there’s an App for That!

“We want to see a real prototype,” he concluded. “We want something that is near market-ready.”

Potential research participants should look for a new round of calls for proposals in July. Proposals will be evaluated quickly, with a deadline for submissions on September 30th and selections and contract negotiations to be completed before the end of the year.

The Corporate Perspective

Talking from the automotive manufacturer’s point-of-view, SEAT’s Roger Giralt talked about his company’s new ‘desktop’ for drivers. This ‘desktop’ comes with a variety of apps, such as one that can record trips, and a ‘me’ app giving direct access to social media – facebook, twitter, e-mails and the like. “With a voice-control system, you no longer have to miss messages while you’re driving,” said Giralt. “With smartphone integration, you can access Google maps to find your car in the parking lot, then get in your car, plug in your smartphone and you have all your apps and your multimedia with you.”

Giralt stressed that many of SEAT’s desktop functions are blocked while you are actually driving, thus minimising any driver distraction.

In the case of disruptive technologies such as automated and driverless cars, distraction will be just the thing former drivers are looking for. In a panel discussion on automation, Nissan Europe’s Richard Candler reminded participants of the goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities, a goal now nearer than many believed possible just a few short years ago. The fact that 90% of road accidents are the result of human error remains a strong argument in favour of further automation, Candler said.

Watch This: EGNOS for Road

Nissan is taking a step-by-step approach towards more autonomous road vehicles, starting with a ‘traffic jam pilot’, and next introducing a ‘motorway pilot’ and, by 2020, a ‘city pilot’. At each step, the vehicle will take on more of the responsibility for actually driving the car, but in a way that allows drivers to get used the concept gradually.

Jan-Maarten de Vries of TomTom contrasted the approach being taken by established manufacturers such as Nissan with the one being taken in Silicon Valley, where ‘newcomers’ such as Google are going straight to the end-goal of completely autonomous, driverless cars. “Neither approach is right or wrong,” de Vries said. “But the traditional OEMs do have the advantage of knowing their customers.”

Show Me the Data!

A new and very exciting area opened up by connected cars is the generation of new kinds of ‘big data’. With more and more such cars out there not only using services, but also sending information about where they are, how fast they are going, what they are accessing online, and more, the potential for public good and private profit is enormous.

In a joint presentation on big data, Ford’s John Ellis and Greg Krueger of the US Department of Transport said the global market for road-related data – e.g. traffic conditions, travel time and road surface conditions – is worth five to six billion USD. “That’s how much governments are spending to collect this kind of data,” Ellis said.

Indeed, the kinds of information cited by Ellis are absolutely crucial to road operators and mobility authorities as they endeavour to create a more efficient, safer and greener transport system.

Traditionally, collecting such information has meant setting up roadside infrastructure – cameras, sensors and the like. But connected cars can provide that information effortlessly, if only the data they generate can be collected and accessed. As Roger Giralt pointed out, many carmakers are still getting their heads around digital concepts, being much more used to selling machines.

Privacy issues will also come into play here. Public opinion on this sticky subject varies from country to country around Europe, let alone around the world. On the question of privacy and who owns the data generated by internet- and GNSS-connected cars, BMW’s Michael Gruffke said, “Younger people are already used to giving up information about themselves and their activities, because they know they will get something back in return.”

More Information

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).